Broken
by CastielAndTheBlueBox
Summary: After the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Natasha seeks out Bruce, hoping to warn him of what was going on in the outside world. She ended up with so much more. Spoilers for Cap 2.


When Natasha had finally gotten into SHIELD, she swore that it would be the end of her past, that she'd move on from it to something _better_. But then, the Winter Soldier happened, and it turned out HYDRA had been in charge all along, and she knew that everything she'd been doing for good was actually for the other side. For those she was trying to fight.

And so, she found herself wandering through the streets of a country halfway across the globe, seeking out Bruce Banner.

It was more his presence she craved, the strange warmth and comfort he gave off, but not only that, she really, really needed that fear. Just to remind herself that yes, she was still human.

She knew that Steve was going to inform Tony, and she'd asked him to get in touch with Clint as well. He'd seemed confused by that request- _'Isn't Barton your best friend'_- but had done it regardless.

Steve was a good man. He never asked too many questions.

Even in the twilight, a muggy heat settled on her skin, droplets of water clinging to the tiny hairs on her arms and face. Her hands were steady by her sides, her head held high against the looks she was thrown by the residents.

She didn't get someone to trick him this time.

She didn't need to.

"Doctor." she said, softly, when she found him washing his face in a river. He paused.

"Agent Romanov."

* * *

"So... SHIELD's fallen."

He spoke slowly, not looking up from the cup of tea in his hand, and she nodded, leaning heavily against the table.

"Yeah. Steve and I, we're fugitives to them, we've gone into hiding. But... when Pierce was talking about the threats he wanted to eliminate with the Helicarrier- you were on that list, Doctor." she sighed, and he looked unsure for a moment, before nodding.

"Yeah, figures. You can't want to rid the world of someone as wholesome as Captain America and want to keep a monster." he replied, and Natasha let out a sigh. She didn't correct him, because they both knew in their hearts that no one with the life experience they had could possibly not be called a monster. It was a fact, not putting oneself down.

"I thought I was finally doing something good." she barely mumbled, and there was a very definite tremble in there, something she hadn't heard in herself for years. She prided herself on staying strong, and being strong for others. But she could feel it, the burn of tears that she'd felt more than once since the Initiative had started.

It unnerved her.

She felt a hesitant hand on her shoulder, big and strong and affirming.

"You couldn't've known." he told her, brown eyes honest when she finally rose her own to meet them. "And New York... Natasha, you were the one who closed the portal. You helped us end that fight."

She stared at him, for what felt like hours but was only really a few seconds, before the first tear broke free. Next thing she knew, she was pulled against a chest that smelled of musk, woodsmoke and soap, and she sobbed into him, the feelings of hurt and betrayal finally bubbling over. She may have been the Black Widow- but she wasn't completely emotionless. And the whole time, he didn't question, didn't push, didn't get her to stop. He just held her, arms a little too gentle, hand ghosting over her back as if he was afraid he'd break her. Neither were fond of physical contact- it was too easily abused. But in that moment, it was something they needed, craved. And since they only had each other to offer it, they took and appreciated what they could get.

* * *

Of all the things she'd expected to do, staying wasn't one of them. However, it became a thing. Bruce had a reasonably comfortable sofa, so she just lslept on it, woke up in the morning to some bread-and-cheese on the table that he'd made before he left, and greeted him when he got back (though she always left him to make the dinner- setting things on fire would be a step up in her cooking skills.

Initially, there'd been argument over who'd sleep on the sofa, but Natasha had insisted. Bruce had been a little petulant for days after that, but he enjoyed her company nevertheless, and Natasha came to enjoy the dry humor he injected into conversations.

One night, after an almost break-in, they kiss. They tumble into bed together and take the touch that the other can offer.

The next morning, Natasha is back on a plane to the states.

* * *

When the Avengers next assemble, Bruce doesn't meet Natasha's eye, and mostly stays behind Tony. Natasha tries to avoid Clint, the inevitable questioning of 'why didn't you call?', but she can't stay away forever. In the end, it wasn't the lack of contact he questioned her about, but instead the awkward silences that kept falling between she and Bruce.

She tells him everything.

The weeks following are hellish for all of them. The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are powerful, though not fighting of their own will, and Ultron was a force to be reckoned with.

After the fight of a lifetime, worse than New York, worse than Budapest, worse than the Triskelion, Bruce asks Natasha out on a date. She stares at him for a few moments, not sure if she should let herself get close to him, to run the risk of breaking him. But then, they were all broken, in their odd little ways.

Her answer was yes.


End file.
